‘Confidential. Persia’ [‎489r] (27/112)

q^> j
25
Page 12.
Hortslet’* (Persian) Treaties, page 58.
Secret E., May 1889, Nos. 648-552, Proceeding
No. 549.
Secret E., June 1889, Nos. 112-114, Proceeding
No. 113.
Secret E., May 1889, Nos. 548-52, Proceeding
No. 550.
Secret E.
No. 587.
May 1889, Nos. 686-592, Proceeding
to a company to which tbo Russians had
any right to object, and the Shah gave
way, on receiving a definite assurance of
British support.
The proclamation opening the naviga
tion of the Karun river as far as Ahwaz
appeared on 30th October 1888, and was
strongly resented by Russia, whose Minis
ter was at once instructed to press for
compensation for this measure, which was
regarded as an injury done to Russia in
favour of England, and to demand “ an
undertaking by Persia that during five
years no concession is to he given by her
for railways, as within that period Russia
will decide what railways she will herself
he prepared to make or advise to bo made
in the country ; at the end of five years
Persia is to be free to give concessions
for the lines not taken up by Russia.”
With regard to this required undertaking,
Sir H. D. Wolff advised the Persian Gov
ernment that if an appeal were made to
the secret engagement, or if this period
of five years were insisted upon by Russia,
they should reply that as the independence
and integrity of Persia were assured both
by England and Russia, she could not
secretly yield to the one what she might
then be obliged to refuse to the other.
This advice the Shah did not follow, and
having decided to yield to Prince Dolgo-
rouki, whose language was reported on
10th March to be most threatening and
warlike, he appears to have proposed
giving the autograph letter, which was
based upon conditions laid down by Sir
H. D. Wolff, as a compensating conces
sion to British interests.
With this reference to previous events,
the following telegram, dated 9 tb March
1889, from Sir II. I). Wolff to the Vice
roy, in which the autograph letter is
alluded to, becomes intelligible :—
“ Following sent home. Very secret. Saw
Amin-es-Sultan last night. His Excellency says
that Shah is so anxious to terminate arrange
ment with Prince Dolgorouki that he bars His
Majesty may, as on a former occasion, send free
autograph assurance direct or through Yahia
Khan. Prince Dologorouki accepts the one railway,
provided its course be not defined, and on being
told that promises have been given to us in the
south, says that they do not concern him. Amin-
es-Sul(an proposes to give the one line undefined
and the five years’ offering, stating that we have
priorities in the south, and undertaking to deliver
to us an autograph assurance by the Shah ante
dated, confirming the line from south to Mr.
Nicolson, and saying that no lines will be granted
south except after a consultation with us. Al«o
that no line will be conceded in Persia except for